Pre-Raphaelites to Paintography

I was reminded by a friend of mine about the 'Pre-Rephaelites: Victorian Avant-Garde' exhibition that recently opened at the Tate Britain. I am so grateful to my friend for this reminder. I would otherwise leave my visit to the last days of the exhibition and it would be such a shame.

In case you wonder where the 'Pre-Raphaelites' name came from the exhibition guide describes it clearly: 'They (artists such as Millain, Rossetti, Holman Hunt,...) believed that art had become decadent, and rejected their teachers' belief that the Italian artist Raphael (1483-1520) represented the pinnacle of aesthetic achievement. They looked to earlier art whose bright colours, flat surfaces and truth to nature they admired.'

And this is what I took away from the exhibition myself; the treatment of colour, the saturated hues of the palette and the sharp contrast helped by strong outlines. The artists are not only true to nature in their use of colour but also detail. Indeed, they were thought to copy from photographs but this was not the case. Having said that, they were aware of the benefits of photography and would apply them to their paintings.

We were looking at this oil ('Strayed Sheep' by William Holman Hunt) with my friend and both agreed on the framing of this composition. The little bit of coast at the background touching the cliff and eventually bringing the viewer to the flock of sheep. However, the sheep are filling only the right side of the picture when some are cropped in a rather unusual way. Wasn't it more acceptable to centre the subject or bring it slightly off centre up to that point?


Somehow, I could not help but think of my own photographs and the treatment they receive after I upload them onto my computer. What is more, everywhere I looked I would make a connection to something called 'Paintography' - a technique I have wanted to try for a while now. After this exhibition I have finally touched on the technique...

 ...to the left is my usual treatment (bringing up colour and contrast). The left picture of wispy grass has addition of further Photoshop tools that I actually forgot I can use (that happens when there is not much need for them in one's work).


Suddenly, from an attractive picture there is something else, something new. This is a cross between a photograph and a painterly approach to a photograph. I know, I might be applauding myself here a bit. The point is that if it was not for the 'Pre-Raphaelites' exhibition I would still only think about paintography, I would not start on something so interesting, so creative. And so, I am embarking on a new adventure. K-)

Every time I visit the V&A... - part 4

...I remember Amanda Levete Architects installation at the main entrance to the V&A welcoming visitors to the London Design Festival last year (I mentioned it in my post). I remember photographing the structure and enjoying myself so much that I simply could not wait to see what was on display this year.

If the spiral last year corresponded to the contours of the main entrance, the installation this year added quite a quirky touch; keeping to the arch of the architecture, allowing to expand outside and beautifully completing the oval. Looking at it this way, I (very loosely) imagine an eye with long eye-lashes elegantly winking at me. As if saying - 'Come in, it is all waiting here for you'.

What a more amusing way of welcoming visitors than seeing or indeed sitting in one of these chairs designed by Thomas Heatherwick.

These chairs go round and round if you want to have some fun. However, for sceptical individuals, I can honestly say, they are so comfortable.

There is much more on Heatherwick Studio in the gallery nearby. And when I say more, I mean it. The space is not big enough. Personally, the next best thing would be to buy the accompanying book that describes thinking behind the projects even better.This is a book I have not purchased yet but consider it a must have.

This colourful close-up is the work of AL_A (aka Amanda Levete Architects). Visiting the court-yard of the museum, you will see various benches along the inner walls. 'Bench of Plates' caught my eye. Was it the colours, the structure, the simplicity of the idea, the craftsmanship? I think all of these.


Similarly to last year, even this time I visited Tent London. Again, I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was so much to see, so many disciplines to admire. Therefore, I have picked a few that suit my interests.

Yet again, I caught Lizzie Mary Cullen in action drawing her psychogeographic urban landscapes on the walls of her stand.

If you remember (I mentioned it before), we studied at university together and I always enjoy watching her progress. Yes, she goes strong. Her energy and ideas are such inspiration.

This year, I focused on areas that are closer to my own existence.

Melanie Porter and Claire-Anne O'Brien bring their craft home to living experience with elegance and appreciation of their skill.

I was just silently standing there and admiring the dedication and time coming into each of these pieces. Yes, I did enjoy these two stands.





On a slightly different note yet still close to my interests, I walked past 'Cod Project' by Gaga and Design who introduced their structural chairs. Their welcoming shape, the eye-catching pattern and the negative spaces that become part of the design made it all more interesting from a photography point of view. What a good choice to place them in dark surroundings and point spotlights at them. The intrigue that is created is priceless.

There was so much to see and do this Festival and I only touched on it. What I will remember more than anything else is the atmosphere. There is so much inspiration in one place. I am looking forward to the next one, the London Design Festival 2013. K-)

Time for takeoff?

Now, after the Olympic and Paralympic Games are over, it seems to be rather hard to find something new, something else to focus on. As if one needed some time off and relax. When I saw these two doves playing like this in the park I dreamt for a moment of packing up and disappearing for a while. After all, this summer was quite exhausting...

However, I realised that beginning this week, the London Fashion Week starts, leading to the Design Festival with 'Tent', 'Super Brands London', '100% Design' and a lot of other design shows.

And so, here we have it. Something to focus on. Just what we need. I find it quite quiet here at the moment. It almost feels like the calm before the storm. It also feels as if a lot of things accumulated at the background and now are waiting to be untangled.

Therefore, let's enjoy the calm and wait for the storm to begin...

I am back

In words of Arnold Schwanzenegger, alias Teminator, I am back. As indicated in my last post, I went home, that is Čáslav, for a few weeks and as it goes when it comes to holidays, the regime gets disrupted. And that is exactly what happened here when I abandoned my blog for a month.

To sum up my holidays, there are few pictures to share with you. This post is therefore more less in pictures. Enjoy it. I had a great time...

It all started with this big raspberry from my parent's garden...

...where I wondered how something as yellow and beautiful, spiky and twisted like this...

...can become this...

...where I watched the process of getting ripen when still on a tree and being eaten not only by me...

...which introduced me to the inner world, the one for which you need to look closer...

...the one that is not easily seen with the naked eye.

This is the garden where I started my holidays, the one where I also together with my parents (and others) enjoyed my mum's cake...

This is just a snipped from my time back home. A lot more happened there but for this I will see you some other time. As seen here, I tried to make the most of my camera and I think it worked, wouldn't you say? K-)